'Liverpool Twitter Thread Breaks Down Why They've Been 'Caused Problems Since The Winter Break'

A Twitter user has produced a compelling thread that spotlights how Premier League leaders Liverpool have been 'caused problems since the winter break.'

Jurgen Klopp's men reign atop of the league table and hold an astonishing 25-point lead over defending champions Manchester City.

But the Reds' hopes of finishing the season unbeaten in the league were scuppered after a shock 3-0 defeat to Watford last month.

Liverpool's hopes of securing a treble were dashed after a 2-0 defeat to Chelsea in the FA Cup before they were dumped out of the Champions League by Atletico Madrid.

Now, Twitter user Premier League Panel has highlighted how and why the runaway league leaders have struggled to win in some of their clashes.

According to PLP, one example is where matches that Liverpool haven't won this season came down to "teams limiting dangerous crossing positions for their full-backs."

And the Twitter user has shown this problem in their clashes with Napoli, Atletico and Watford.

🔎How and why have Liverpool been caused problems since the Winter Break? - an analysis thread: pic.twitter.com/2Qzj44EhWU

— Premier League Panel (@PremLeaguePanel) March 1, 2020

A recurring in Liverpool's handful of games they have not won this season has been teams limiting dangerous crossing positions for their full-backs

— Premier League Panel (@PremLeaguePanel) March 1, 2020

•This started with Ancelotti's setup against them in Naples back in September, where he played a 4-4-2 with wide midfielders Insigne & Callejon working very hard at tracking back all the way into their own half.

This limited Trent & Robertson to ZERO chances created pic.twitter.com/fd2dmoFGkT

— Premier League Panel (@PremLeaguePanel) March 1, 2020

•Simeone then took this formula to the next level at the Wanda.

Played the same rigid 4-4-2 as Ancelotti,with Koke & Llorente (sub for Lemar)- two natural central midfielders playing in wide positions, tracking Trent & Robertson

This limited the duo to ZERO big chances created pic.twitter.com/00UZtZfONN

— Premier League Panel (@PremLeaguePanel) March 1, 2020

•Watford did very similar to the above, with Deulofeu (and his replacement Pereyra) taking up extremely deep positions to track Trent & Robertson

Sarr was slightly more advanced but that was due to his incredible athleticism to transition from defence to attack very quickly pic.twitter.com/89BcSzicAp

— Premier League Panel (@PremLeaguePanel) March 1, 2020

• Further evidence of this, is that arguably LFC's best performance came vs Leicester where Maddison was deployed in a wide midfield role- he made just 6 sprints in the game (Mané- 20, Salah- 12)

And it allowed Trent too much room to dominate the game and lead LFC to a 4-0 win pic.twitter.com/xOOEYqsqzk

— Premier League Panel (@PremLeaguePanel) March 1, 2020

•So if LFC are shut down on the flanks, then attention reverts to the centre of the pitch. What's going on there?

1. Fabinho return to DM- trademark pass which opened up sides was a clipped pass out wide which took defenders out the game. Not seen this since before his injury. pic.twitter.com/T1d360fdK8

— Premier League Panel (@PremLeaguePanel) March 1, 2020

2. Henderson was providing this penetrative threat from the middle (important to note when he was playing as a DM in Fabinho's absence, not as an attacking 8) with lofted balls thru the middle of opponent defences- see Mané goal vs Norwich and Ox goal vs Bournemouth pic.twitter.com/Y8h91tUrFt

— Premier League Panel (@PremLeaguePanel) March 1, 2020

3. LFC miss a dribbling midfielder to draw opposition wide midfielders away from the full-backs & create good crossing positions

Man Utd limited LFC in the OT draw til Keita's sub showed how he can be vital to create space as he did for Robertson's assist pic.twitter.com/3BY2oXRlKs

— Premier League Panel (@PremLeaguePanel) March 1, 2020

4. LFC's games since the winter break have shown a distinct lack of in-to-out runs from prolific wide forwards Mané & Salah. Only one big chance (Mané goal vs Norwich) has been generated like this in the last 4 game.

Surely something Klopp will be working on to improve.

— Premier League Panel (@PremLeaguePanel) March 1, 2020

•Lastly, set-piece disorganisation has been a trend of the last 3 games,specifically at the near post

1.Atléti exploited near post messiness to score their goal
2.West Ham did similar for Diop's goal
3.And there should have been a blocker in front of Deeney for Watford's first pic.twitter.com/JPrs3w1ykk

— Premier League Panel (@PremLeaguePanel) March 1, 2020

source https://www.sportbible.com/football/news-liverpool-thread-breaks-down-why-theyve-been-caused-problems-20200313